Poll: Do you enjoy Moviebob's content?

[camazotz]

Like a lot of people i came to the escapist for ZP, stayed for Big picture/Escape to the Movies. Lately though I finding myself reading his stuff out of a kind of fascination for his drama and tantrums. I still enjoy his work and i think he's very talented, we have polar opposite tastes on everything (despise family friendly superhero movies) but he explains his points well and even if what he's saying makes no sense to me i believe that he really believes it makes sense, if that makes sense? I guess i admire his honesty, if not his tatses and justification for them.

As for culture stuff, to me he's a caricature of well intentioned/deluded American liberalism. Like i know politics over there is extremely polarized, so maybe bob is like the mirror of fox republicans, but I've long since stopped counting him to inform my opinion. Instead the myriad neuroses he places on screen are their own kind of fun to watch unravel.


Here's a charming example i just took from his twitter.

"2 fundamental questions underline 90% of my decisions: "Does this get us closer to a better world?" "Is this morally correct?" In that order... It's a thin line of importance separating the two, but at the end of the day a tangible superior future has to sometimes "win out" over......"how does this square with some largely subjective social concept of right or wrong?"
Immediately followed by
"Classic example: "Is murder wrong?" Yes. "If you could time travel, would you kill pre-WWII Hitler?" Of course. Without hesitation or regret."

See here he endorses transgressing societies widely held morale code so long as it will help bring about his 'better world'. (Building a better world on the ashes of the old one is a common rhetorical device of Moviebob's) Abhorring murder but being willing to murder hitler is the example he then gives of this philosophy in action, with no irony or awareness that the crime that would justify hitler's murder was transgressing societies moral code in pursuit of a 'better world.' He acknowledges that society's morale code is subjective, but not the definition of a better world because there can only be one and that is his.
I dunno, its just sort of neat to watch these stream of consciousness rants coil round and round and round. I vote i like his content. For different reasons than when I began

Bob's a movie critic.....I don't think he's deeply enmeshed in ethical studies. That said: the people I'd worry about are the one's who wouldn't kill Hitler in the past before he got started, if given the chance. That suggests two problems, both related to arbitrary moral absolutism (either "never kill, period" or "he's not actually guilty of something under moral code X") that is destined to failure or complication through extremism.

EDIT: although to be fair, as an adherent to a mixture of utilitarianism and social contract theory myself, I think one could imagine a utilitarian argument against killing Hitler if it turns out that his not rising to power led to an even greater and more destructive result (i.e. no Germany, so Stalin achieves greater power and then starts a different sort of WWII that leads to greater death and destruction). Since it's all hypothetical anyway, why not throw out arbitrary complications....!

 

[Signa]

I used to consider him quite insightful, but now I kinda hate him. The last couple of articles and videos I've read/watched by him have been borderline offensive to me.

 

[rorychief]

snip

I just thought the quote was a good example of what's made him so alienating lately. Talking in terms of breaking 'society's largely subjective moral codes' in pursuit of 'superior worlds.' Who talks like that? What he's referring to is replying to mean tweets with mean tweets, but he can't admit to being petty and short tempered unless he first wraps it up in a sacrificing humanity through battling monsters narrative. Its ok to be snarky to trolls, the pretentious self justification then is offputting.

I don't know what he's defending here, but he's obviously been called on tweeting something dickish or hypocritical, and is defending himself by conjuring some greater dickish hypocrisy that was avoided through his dickishness. The lesser of two dicks. Its an absurd way to excuse one's own behavior. 'See, I needed to call you a virgin neckbeard. Think of the millions I saved from being called SJWs. I lowered myself to your level, yes, but only for the greater good!'

I son't like it and I don't respect it.

 

[Ramzal]

Just a quick word in here and this may be a bit forward but.... Am I the only one who wishes he'd shut up about "The Avengers"? Yes it was a cool film and yes this is the first time something like this has been done in film history (I think) and it worked to a level that I don't even believe that Marvel/Disney had conceived but he mentions it far too often and compares that movie with others to judge their quality as though it's the be-all-end-all for movies. It is cool to be excited about something but Jesus Christ it is grating and paints a very jaded and inexperienced color of him.

 

[laggyteabag]

I never really watch his stuff. If I want to watch a movie review, I will watch Jeremy Jahns on YouTube, so I have no real desire to watch any of MovieBob's content.

 

[m19]

When he is not engaged in masturbatory bashing of 'straight white men', yes, I do.

 

[giles]

I used to consider him quite insightful, but now I kinda hate him. The last couple of articles and videos I've read/watched by him have been borderline offensive to me.

When did you consider him insightful? I used to watch his movie reviews some time ago. Never really thought he was particularly clever, just kinda interested in the "nerd chique" perspective of mainstream movies.
Then I saw his take on the Scream series and how he openly admitted to having an irrational hatred for the series simply because he felt that the "guy who watches a lot of movies" persona in the film was stepping into the space he created for himself. That was when I realized that he is kinda crazy or at least infantile ("i'm speshul guise") and I shouldn't take his opinion on anything seriously.

 

[Story]

Then I saw his take on the Scream series and how he openly admitted to having an irrational hatred for the series simply because he felt that the "guy who watches a lot of movies" persona in the film was stepping into the space he created for himself. That was when I realized that he is kinda crazy or at least infantile ("i'm speshul guise") and I shouldn't take his opinion on anything seriously.

Oh dear, I almost forgot about that one. After that Scream review I didn't watch him for 4 months and avoided anything with his name on it. It was perhaps one of the worst reviews I ever watched. I wonder if Bob ever regrets posting that video. I can't remember the video that turned me around on him.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I generally like his movie reviews and greatly enjoy his comic book insight. He does tend to get hung up on certain films he doesn't like and seemingly can't resist reiterating that he doesn't like them (ASM, MoS). When his personal political and social views come into play, he is utterly intolerable.

 

[Uriel_Hayabusa]

You're misrepresenting him.

No, I am calling out a thoroughly undeserved, downright slanderous comparison. I don't believe for a second that comparing ''film snobs'' to Gamergaters was necessary nor acceptable. He clearly meant to be incendiary in the comment and that's what I take issue with.

I mean, I love anime. Plenty of people can't stand anime. You don't see me comparing these people to the KKK or other racist groups.

On the Jack Thompson harassment issue: context is everything.

Bob said that Thompson ''had it coming'' in response to this question:

Did game media contribute to this situation by treating these tactics as funny back when they were targeted at Jack Thompson?

So yeah, I don't see how you can fall back on the old ''you're taking him out of context!'' excuse there.

Thompson was a relentless fanatic, no doubt; but to say he deserved to be harassed and threatened is something different altogether. And I'd argue that the tweet he responded to asked a good question that people still aren't willing to face.

 

[kurupt87]

Some of it's good. Some of it's bad.

I choose not to watch any of it.

 

[PainInTheAssInternet]

Since Jim Fucking Sterling Son keeps coming up, I feel an explanation is apt.

Sterling takes on a persona of an immature, self-absorbed asshole who is fascinated with the sound of his voice while believing those who don't follow him have something wrong with them. Chipman is that persona. When Jim isn't laying it on thick, it's pretty apparent that he's a pretty personable guy I'd really enjoy having a beer with at a pub. I think I'd cease to enjoy Chipman's company when he couldn't stop taking about the dudebros sullying Nintendo's greatness by deny them their rightful place atop the medium. Also how bad The Amazing Spiderman and Man of Steel are and how awesome anything Marvel does is.

 

[TallanKhan]

I think Bob has a great deal of talent but too often looses his thread in the long grass of his political leanings. Overall I find his politics somewhat contradictory and in some cases I would go so far as to say hypocritical - probably best described as typically "college liberal*"- so his more politically charged content tends to put me off.

*For clarity I am not attacking liberal values, I consider myself to be broadly liberal in my leanings, but rather commenting on the particular brand of very black and white, anti-establishment, somewhat naive liberal politics to which Bob seems to subscribe.

 

[Signa]

I used to consider him quite insightful, but now I kinda hate him. The last couple of articles and videos I've read/watched by him have been borderline offensive to me.

When did you consider him insightful? I used to watch his movie reviews some time ago. Never really thought he was particularly clever, just kinda interested in the "nerd chique" perspective of mainstream movies.
Then I saw his take on the Scream series and how he openly admitted to having an irrational hatred for the series simply because he felt that the "guy who watches a lot of movies" persona in the film was stepping into the space he created for himself. That was when I realized that he is kinda crazy or at least infantile ("i'm speshul guise") and I shouldn't take his opinion on anything seriously.

Ick.

Yeah, I didn't see the movie, but I liked his analysis of Sucker Punch, because it sounded like it was in line with what the movie was actually going for, instead of following the public opinion of the movie. There were a few others in that area that seemed similarly insightful, but I forgot about them. I appreciate a critic's ability to see beyond what's directly presented on the screen, and that's why I thought he was insightful. Lately, it's just been the shit that you're siting.

 

[SOCIALCONSTRUCT]

When he isn't soapboxing Moviebob is OK but what he has to say isn't particularly unique. His politics and straw manning of his imagined opponents are annoying but are also the most (only?) interesting thing about him. There is a rubberneck effect going on where I will watch his videos just to see how ridiculous and inflammatory he can get. He genuinely seems to think that nerds, and by extension himself, will become sexually attractive to strong women by adopting feminism. Like a gender flipped version of a romance novel, a strong woman would come in and sweep him off his feet if not for patriarchy. As if personal deficits can be compensated for through politics.

 

[Jodokh]

I really used to enjoy him and wondered why people would nay say him so much. But the last 8 months, I have become more and more turned off by him and now see why people nay say him. He just seems not able to see any arguments but his own, which... well he just comes off as a huge douche. After the things he said on Twitter and in his over thinker videos I can't even watch his content on the escapist and enjoy because he comes off as a hypocrite to me now.

Bob reminds me of a guy a that I go to college with great first impression but just down hill from there, but then really douchie side slowly seeps out overtime .

 

[Lightknight]

There are things I starkly disagree with him on on a deeply philosophical level.

But damn can the man deconstruct movie theory. So it depends entirely on whether or not he's using his platform to soapbox for his philosophies about how the manly man is evil or if he's discussing movies on their own merits.

If it's the former, I don't enjoy it at all. If it's the latter, well, that's the reason I keep coming back to watch him. As of late he's been a lot more in the former camp so it's been frustrating. It's also somewhat disappointing to see every female secondary character get mad props from him as having deserved the primary role over a male character. But eh, that'll slow down soon and we'll be able to escape to the movies with Bob again rather than Bob and his best friend "white male guilt".

The whole GG SJW things are stupid fads, if you time travel to a week before them he is still the best content creator they have (Other than Yahtzee). I think the problem is that when evocative BS comes out it suspends people's ability to sanely disagree. Before this mess, when he was just a movie reviewer? I would CHERISH his opinion, then see some DRECK that he liked and disagree HARSHLY, cut to next week where we start it all over again because I still love and respect his opinion on things.

Exactly. He's great for those reasons and will be great again. Disagree or not with his opinion in practice, it's well thought out and well portrayed in those videos.

 

[MoltenSilver]

I voted 'generally no'

He is knowledgeable about his field and does have some interesting insights, but his attitude and antagonism just absolutely taints everything he produces into the point I can't stand enough to actually get to or care enough about those few nuggets of worthwhile insights, and I can't say I particularly miss his content since the time I started actively avoiding it.

And I'm saying this as someone who actively agrees with a fair amount of his politics; his behavior is just that extreme a level of revolting in my eyes.

 

[K12]

Can't help but think this was just inviting people to start laying into him. Saying "keep it civil" is the forum equivalent of horror film character saying "it's probably nothing" at the distant snarling noise.

I usually agree with him and even when I don't I find him informative. I'm not a comic book fan and have found him a really valuable resource when it comes to enjoying and understanding the Marvel films. He's often really spot on when it comes to some of the calling out subsets of the "nerd" community for their bullshit.